Nurse struck off over net child porn

A NURSE who downloaded 200 obscene images of children while working in a job where he had access to young patients has been struck off. A NURSE who downloaded 200 obscene images of children while working in a job where he had access to young patients has been struck off.

A NURSE who downloaded 200 obscene images of children while working in a job where he had access to young patients has been struck off.

The internet offences of David Keith Mason, 38, from Wigan, were said to "fall into a particularly heinous category".

Angela O'Connor, chairman of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Fitness to Practise Panel, went on: "The fact he paid to access child pornography was, in the panel's view, active participation in the abuse and debasement of children, irrespective of the fact this was by remote access.

"We feel it is necessary to remove him from the register in order to protect the public."

Mason, who worked in anaesthetics at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan, dealing with patients in "recovery", should not apply to be restored for five years, said Ms O'Connor.

Mason, of Sheldon Avenue, Standish, had been convicted of 14 offences of making indecent images and one of possessing an indecent photo. He was given 36 months' community rehabilitation by Wigan magistrates in October 2004.

Resigned

He was also placed on the sex offenders' register for five years and ordered to attend a sex offenders' programme.

Mason, who had resigned from his employment with the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS, did not attend the hearing and was not represented.

Clare Strickland, for the council, told the hearing: "Mr Mason was arrested at home on 14 July, 2004, following execution of a warrant.

"Officers seized two computers. One contained about 100 images of children engaged in non-penetrable sexual activity with adults.

"The second computer contained about 100 images of children showing nudity or erotic posing."

She said the first group were "level three", midway in the classification of seriousness, and the second group were at the lower "level one". Ms Strickland added: "They are very serious convictions of a nature which fundamentally undermines the reputation of the profession.

"He is not suitable to remain on the register without restraint."

Supervised

She said the sentence imposed on him by the court was "clearly designed" for rehabilitation.

Hospital general manager Mrs Gillian Harris told the hearing that children would go to the theatre where Mason worked.

"He would have been supervised at all times," she said. "He was never left alone in theatre, where the environment is an open one.

"Recovery is completely open, with people walking past. They can see what's going on in the recovery area.

"Parents would remain in the recovery area for children."

But when questioned by Ms O'Connor, she said: "I can't say categorically he was never unsupervised."

Ms O'Connor concluded: "He's a potential risk to children and vulnerable patients."